Fuel cell mount apparatus and electric power supply system

ABSTRACT

A fuel cell mount apparatus includes: a fuel cell system including a power generation unit for generating electric power by use of a fuel and air, a hydrogen occlusion cylinder for supplying the fuel to the power generation unit, an air supply means for supplying air to the power generation unit, and a control unit for controlling the power generating operation of the power generation unit; and a dog type robot mounted with the fuel cell system and operated by electric power outputted from the fuel cell, wherein a part of component elements of the fuel cell system and a part of component elements of the dog type robot are used in common with each other, i.e., one of the component elements functions also as the other of the component elements, whereby a component element can be made to function as both a part of an electronic apparatus and a part of the fuel cell, the wastefulness of component elements can be removed, and the fuel cell can be efficiently mounted on various electronic apparatuses.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to Japanese Patent Document No.P2002-361310 filed on Dec. 12, 2002, the disclosure of which is hereinincorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a fuel cell mount apparatus with a fuelcell mounted thereon as a power supply for an electronic apparatus suchas, for example, a robot apparatus, an articulated robot, a notebooktype personal computer, a cellular phone, a camera-integrated type VTR(Video Tape Recorder), a personal digital aid (PDA), etc., andparticularly to a fuel cell mount apparatus in which at least part ofcomponent parts of an electronic apparatus and component parts of a fuelcell is used in common. In addition, the present invention relates to afuel cell mount apparatus in which a secondary cell or the like capableof supplying required electric power even in the case of a largevariation in load is provided separately from a fuel cell. Furthermore,the present invention relates to an electric power supply system capableof stable power supply even in the case of a large variation in load byuse of a secondary cell or the like provided separately from a fuelcell.

As this type of fuel cell mount apparatus, heretofore, there has beenknown, for example, that which is configured as shown in FIG. 6 (see,for example, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 9-213359, pp. 3-4, FIGS.1 and 2). FIG. 6 shows a notebook type personal computer 1 in which asmall, solid state type fuel cell using hydrogen as a fuel and air as anoxidizing agent is used as a portable power supply.

The notebook type personal computer 1 is composed of a personal computermain body 3 with a keyboard console unit 2 disposed at its uppersurface, and a lid body 5 with a liquid crystal display 4 mounted at itslower surface. The personal computer main body 3 and the lid body 5 arelinked on the back side by hinges so that they can be turned freely andbe fixed at arbitrary positions. With the lid 5 closed and laid on thepersonal computer main body 3, the liquid crystal display 4 is laid onthe keyboard console unit 2 so that they are covered by each other. Acell containing portion 6 is provided at a side surface of the personalcomputer main body 3, and a fuel cell 7 as a portable power supply isremovably mounted in the cell containing portion 6 to be used.

The fuel cell 7 includes a power generation unit 8 for generatingelectric power by use of a fuel (hydrogen) and air (oxygen), a hydrogenstorage cylinder 9 for supplying the power generation unit 8 with storedhydrogen in a predetermined quantity, an air supply means 10 forsupplying air to the power generation unit 8, a control unit 11 forcontrolling the power generating operation of the power generation unit8, a cell case 12 for containing these components integrally, and thelike. The cell case 12 is provided with an intake port 13 and an exhaustport 14 for air, and a connection unit 15 for electrical connectionbetween the personal computer main body 3 and the fuel cell 7. Besides,a fan as a specific example of the air supply means 10 is disposed onthe inside of the intake port 13 of the cell case 12.

Besides, as the above-mentioned related-art fuel cell mount apparatus,there has been, for example, that which is described in Japanese PatentLaid-open No. 2002-59389. This reference (refer, particularly, to pp.3-4 and FIGS. 1 and 2) describes an autonomous walking robot apparatuscomposed of a robot in which, based on detection signals from sensorsfor outputting the detection signals by detecting the externalatmosphere, an actuator unit causes a plurality of drive units toperform autonomous operations corresponding to the detection signals,and a battery charger for the robot.

In the autonomous walking robot apparatus, at the time of charging thebattery of the robot, the actuator drives the fore-legs and hind-legswith a walking guide signal transmitted from the battery charger inresponse to a battery charging demand signal from an antenna unit, therobot approaches the battery charger, then, the fore-legs, thehind-legs, a mouth part and a tail part are driven based on a peripheralenvironmental map formed by detection of land marks by an external fieldimage pickup sensor, the robot is disposed in a battery charging poserelative to the battery charger, and the battery is charged. At the timeof completion of the battery charging, a battery charging stop demandsignal is sent from the antenna unit, the operation of the batterycharger is stopped, and the robot is released from the battery charger.Thus, the battery charging is naturally performed as an amusementoperation for the tired robot to rest in the battery charging position,and the user can enjoy an amusement even during the battery charging.

However, in the related-art fuel cell mount apparatuses asabove-mentioned, in the case of the former one, the notebook typepersonal computer 1 is provided with the control unit including amicrocomputer or the like for performing a predetermined control basedon the information inputted from the keyboard console unit 2 and thelike, and, separately from this control unit, a control unit 11 forcontrolling the power generation unit 8 and the like is separately andindependently provided also in the fuel cell 7. Further, the notebooktype personal computer 1 and the fuel cell 7 each includeheat-generating component element such as the control unit and a motor,and, therefore, they are each separately and independently provided witha fan, a pump, a cooler and the like for cooling the heat-generatingparts. The situations of the component elements, environmentalconditions and the like apply also to the case of the latter one,namely, the autonomous walking robot apparatus.

Therefore, a plurality of the same component parts used for a commonpurpose are provided in one fuel cell mount apparatus. Therefore, therehas been the problem that the number of component parts is large, theapparatus as a whole is complicated, and the apparatus is uneconomical.

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned fuel cell mount apparatus, where thedrive units of the electronic apparatus are supplied with electric powerfrom one fuel cell, the electric power consumed in a specific drive unitmay be abruptly increased to exceed the upper limit of the electricpower amount which can be supplied from the fuel cell. When the upperlimit of the electric power amount which can be supplied from the fuelcell is thus exceeded, a trouble would be generated in power generationin the fuel cell, resulting in that the driving of the fuel cell mountapparatus as a whole cannot be achieved satisfactorily. Particularly,the control unit including a CPU (Central Processing Unit) tends to showa larger load variation than those of the motor and the actuator unit.

SUMMARY

A fuel cell mount apparatus according to the present invention is a fuelcell mount apparatus including: a fuel cell capable of power generationby use of a fuel and air; and an electronic apparatus having the fuelcell mounted thereon and being operated by electric power outputted fromthe fuel cell; wherein the fuel cell mount apparatus has a common partused in common for the fuel cell and the electronic apparatus. Accordingto the fuel cell mount apparatus of the present invention, a common partis used in common for the electronic apparatus and the fuel cell,whereby it is possible to remove wastefulness of the component parts,and to contrive simplification of structure, a reduction in size and areduction in weight, of the apparatus as a whole.

The present invention achieves common use of part of component elementsof an electronic apparatus and component elements of a fuel cell, tothereby remove wastefulness of the component elements, and enableefficient mounting of the fuel cell on a variety of electronicapparatuses. In the case where parts needing electric power aredispersed in an application structure, generation units of the fuel cellon the basis of the individual parts are dispersedly laid out, therebyto reduce the output of each of the power generation units, and tofacilitate heat management, water management and the like. A stablesupply of electric power can be provided even where a load variation isgenerated.

In the fuel cell mount apparatus according to the present invention, thecommon part may be a component element of the fuel cell and a componentelement of the electronic apparatus. The common use of a componentelement of the fuel cell and a component element of the electronicapparatus makes it possible to reduce the number of component parts inthe fuel cell mount apparatus as a whole.

In the fuel cell mount apparatus according to the present invention, thecommon part may be a fan, a pump or a cooler used for cooling a powergeneration unit, a control unit or the like of the fuel cell, anauxiliary apparatus such as a heater and an electric heater used forheating a fuel supply means for supplying the fuel to the powergeneration unit of the fuel cell, an air supply means for supplying airto the power generation unit or the like, a temperature sensor, ahumidity sensor, a radiator, a DC/DC converter, or the control unit. Theauxiliary apparatus such as a fan and a pump or a microcomputer or thelike in the control unit can be applied as the component part for commonuse in the fuel cell and the electronic apparatus, whereby it ispossible to contrive a reduction in the number of these kinds ofcomponent parts.

Besides, in the fuel cell mount apparatus according to the presentinvention, the electronic apparatus may have a plurality of drive unitsneeding electric power, the fuel cell may have a plurality of powergeneration units, and the plurality of power generation units may be incharge of electric power supply to the plurality of drive units.According to such a fuel cell mount apparatus, the plurality of powergeneration units are in charge of electric power supply to the driveunits, whereby the output in each of the power generation units can bereduced, and the burden at the time of power generation in each powergeneration unit can be alleviated. With the burden on each powergeneration unit thus alleviated, it is possible to easily manage thetemperature and water in each power generation unit, and to stablygenerate electric power.

Further, such a fuel cell mount apparatus may include an electric powersupply means for supplying electric power to a predetermined drive unitof the plurality of drive units, and, further, the predetermined driveunit may have a larger load variation than those of the other driveunits of the plurality of drive units, so that it is possible to stablysupply electric power to drive units differing in load variation. Inaddition, the electric power supply means may be a secondary cell, acapacitor, or a combination thereof.

Besides, in the fuel cell mount apparatus according to the presentinvention, the electronic apparatus may have a plurality of drive unitsneeding electric power, the fuel cell may have the power generationunits as the number of the plurality of drive units, the powergeneration units may be disposed respectively in the vicinity of thedrive units, and the drive units may be supplied with electric powerrespectively from the corresponding power generation units, whereby itis possible to reduce the output in each power generation unit, toalleviate the power generation burden on each power generation unit, andto further facilitate heat management and water management.

A fuel cell mount apparatus according to the present invention is a fuelcell mount apparatus including: a fuel cell capable of power generationby use of a fuel and air; and an electronic apparatus having the fuelcell mounted thereon and being operated by electric power outputted fromthe fuel cell; wherein the electronic apparatus has a plurality of driveunits needing electric power, the fuel cell has a plurality of powergeneration units, and the plurality of power generation units are incharge of electric power supply to the plurality of drive units.According to the fuel cell mount apparatus of the present invention,electric power can be supplied from the electric power supply means evenin the case where the output of the power generation units of the fuelcell does not follow up to the load variation in the drive units.

A fuel cell mount apparatus according to the present invention is a fuelcell mount apparatus including: a fuel cell capable of power generationby use of a fuel and air; an electric power supply means; and anelectronic apparatus having the fuel cell and the electric power supplyunit mounted thereon and being operated by electric power outputted fromthe fuel cell and the electric power supply means; wherein theelectronic apparatus has a plurality of drive units needing electricpower, and a power generation unit of the fuel cell and the electricpower supply means are in charge of electric power supply to theplurality of drive units. According to the fuel cell mount apparatus ofthe present invention, even in the case where the output of a powergeneration unit in a fuel cell does not follow up to a load variation ina drive unit, the drive unit can be supplied with electric power from anelectric power supply means

An electric power supply system according to the present inventionincludes: a fuel cell for supplying electric power to a predetermineddrive unit of a plurality of drive units; and an electric power supplymeans for supplying electric power to another drive unit or units havinga larger load variation than that of the predetermined drive unit.According to the electric power supply system of the present invention,the drive unit supplied with electric power from the electric powersupply means and the drive unit supplied with electric power from thefuel cell are discriminated by the magnitude of load variation, wherebythe electric power required for the operation of each drive unit can bestably supplied, and the system supplied with electric power from theelectric power supply system can be operated stably.

Additional features and advantages of the present invention aredescribed in, and will be apparent from, the following DetailedDescription and the figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows a fuel cell mount apparatus according to a first embodimentof the present invention, illustrating the condition where a fuel cellsystem is mounted on a dog type robot.

FIG. 2 illustrates one example of a fuel cell system pertaining to thefuel cell mount apparatus according to the first embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a power generation cell of the fuel cell mounted onthe fuel cell mount apparatus according to the first embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 4 is a structural diagram of a fuel cell mount apparatus accordingto a second embodiment of the present invention, and is a structuraldiagram of the fuel cell mount apparatus in which a fuel cell system ismounted on a dog type robot.

FIG. 5 is a general block diagram of an electric power supply systemaccording to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is illustrates an example of a fuel cell mount apparatusaccording to the related art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Now, some embodiments of the present invention will be described belowreferring to the accompanying drawings.

First Embodiment

FIGS. 1 to 3 show one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1illustrates a general configuration of one embodiment of a fuel cellmount apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 illustratesthe principle of a fuel cell pertaining to the fuel cell mount apparatusof the present invention, and FIG. 3 illustrates one embodiment of thefuel cell pertaining to the fuel cell mount apparatus according to thepresent invention.

The fuel cell mount apparatus 20 showing one embodiment of the presentinvention has a configuration in which a dog type robot 21 as anelectronic pet is used as an electronic apparatus and a fuel cell system22 is mounted thereon. The dog type robot 21 is composed of a bodyportion 23 having a roughly drum-like shape, a head portion 24 mountedto a front upper portion of the body portion 23, two fore-leg portions25 mounted to both side portions of a front portion of the body portion23, two hind-leg portions 26 mounted to both side portions of a rearportion of the body portion 23, and a tail portion 27 mounted to a rearupper portion of the body portion 23.

The head portion 24 of the dog type robot 21 is provided with a neckportion 28 projected downwards, and the neck portion 28 is mounted tothe body portion 23 through a neck joint so that it can be freelyturned, lowered and raised in the vertical direction and the left-rightdirection within predetermined ranges. Further, a chin portion 29 ismounted to a lower portion of the neck portion 28 through a chin jointso that it can be freely lowered and raised in the vertical direction.Besides, a pair of ear portions 30, 30 are mounted to rear upperportions of the neck portion 28 through ear joints so that they aresubstantially symmetric on the left and right sides and can be freelyturned.

In addition, the pair of fore-leg portions 25, 25, the pair of hind-legportions 26, 26 and the tail portion 27 are linked respectively throughthe pair of fore-leg joints, the pair of hind-leg joints and the tailjoint so that they can be freely turned, lowered and raised. Further,the pair of fore-leg portions 25, 25 are each composed of a leg upperportion 32 and a leg lower portion 33, which are linked through a frontknee joint 34 so that they can be freely turned, lowered and raised.Besides, a fore-foot portion 35 is mounted to a tip end portion of thelower leg portion 33 through an ankle joint so that it can be freelylowered and raised.

Similarly, the pair of hind-leg portions 26, 26 are each composed of aleg upper portion 36 and a leg lower portion 37, which are linkedthrough a rear knee joint 38 so that they can be freely turned, loweredand raised. Besides, a hind-foot portion 39 is mounted to a tip endportion of the lower leg portion 37 through an ankle joint so that itcan be freely lowered and raised. Furthermore, the tail portion 27 ismounted to the body portion 23 through a tail joint so that it can beturned freely.

Each of the joint portions represents one specific example of the driveunit of the dog type robot 21 showing one embodiment of the electronicapparatus. One or two drive motors for turning or lowering or raisingeach joint portion are individually mounted respectively in each of thejoint portions. In addition, an electronic apparatus control unitcomposed of a microcomputer, storage devices (RAM, ROM) and the like fordrivingly controlling all the drive motors, various sensors, a voicerecognition device and other mechanisms is incorporated in the bodyportion 23. All the drive motors are drivingly controlled by theelectronic apparatus control unit, whereby the dog type robot 21 can bemade to perform a walking motion, or various motions such as the motionsin response to the order “Hand!”, “Sit!” or the like.

In addition, the fuel cell system 22 is composed of the same number ofpower generation units 40 as the number of the above-mentioned jointsprovided for each of the joints, a fuel cell control unit 41 forcontrolling the power generating operations of all the power generationunits 40, a fuel supply means 42 for supplying a fuel (hydrogen,methanol, methane or the like) to all the power generation units 40, andair supply means 43 for supplying air (oxygen) to each of the powergeneration units 40. Besides, the fuel used for the power generatingreaction is not limited to a gas such as hydrogen gas but may naturallybe a liquid such as methanol. Incidentally, a configuration may beadopted in which auxiliary apparatuses or the like such as cooling fansfor cooling such heat generating sources as the power generation units40 and the control unit are provided. In addition, the common part usedin common for both the fuel cell system 22 and the dog type robot 21provided as an electronic apparatus is a component element of the fuelcell system 22 or a component element of the dog type robot 21 providedas an electronic apparatus, and, by use of the component element incommon, the number of component parts of the fuel cell mount apparatus20 can be reduced. Besides, the common part may be any one that can beused in common, such as, for example, an auxiliary apparatus or the likesuch as a cooling fan, a pump and a cooler for cooling theabove-mentioned control unit or other heat generating source, anauxiliary apparatus such as a heater and an electric heater used forheating the fuel supply means for supplying the fuel to the powergeneration units 40, the air supply means for supplying air to the powergeneration units, or the like, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor,a radiator, a DC/DC converter, etc. In addition, a structural member ofthe fuel cell mount apparatus, such as a casing for containing theelectronic apparatus or the fuel cell, may be used as the common part;where a wall surface portion of the casing is utilized for clamping thepower generation unit of the fuel cell, the wall surface portion may beused as the common part. Furthermore, a fastening member in the powergeneration units having a stack structure may be used as the commonpart.

The same number of the power generation units 40 (40 a to 40 j) as thenumber of the joints provided on the basis of each of the joints arelaid out respectively in the vicinity of the corresponding joints.Specifically, a power generation unit 40 a for the ear portions 30 and apower generation unit 40 b for the chin portion 29 are provided in thehead portion 24. In addition, a power generation unit 40 c for the neckportion 28, a power generation unit 40 d for the fore-leg portions 25, apower generation unit 40 e for the hind-leg portions 26, and a powergeneration unit 40 f for the tail portion 27 are provided in the bodyportion 23.

Further, a power generation unit 40 g for the fore-knee joint 34 isdisposed in the leg upper portion 32 of the fore-leg portion 25, and apower generation unit 40 h for the fore-foot portion 35 is disposed inthe leg lower portion 33 of the fore-leg portion 25. Besides, a powergeneration unit 40 i for the hind-knee joint 38 is disposed in the legupper portion 36 of the hind-leg portion 26, and a power generation unit40 j for the hind-foot portion 39 is disposed in the leg lower portion37 of the hind-leg portion 26. These power generation units 40 a to 40 jare connected to the fuel supply means 42 through a fuel piping 44,whereby they can be supplied with the fuel.

In addition, the air supply means 43 as specific examples of the airsupply means are provided respectively in the vicinity of the bodyportion 23, the head portion 24 and the fore-leg and hind-leg portions25, 26, in correspondence with the power generation units 40 a to 40 j.Air introduced from these air supply means 43 is served to powergeneration, together with hydrogen, in each of the power generationunits 40 a to 40 j. As a specific example of the fuel supply means 42,there may be used, for example, a hydrogen storage cylinder capable ofstoring a large amount of hydrogen therein.

A general configuration of such a fuel cell system 22 is schematicallyshown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, symbol 50 denotes a fuel cartridge filledwith a fuel gas, and is composed of a tetragonal flat box body. A basesubstrate 51 is mounted on the upper surface of the fuel cartridge 50;the power generation units 40, the cooling fan 52, two drying fans 53for drying water generated in the power generation units 40, two on-offvalves 54 for opening and closing fuel supply ports so as to regulatethe flow rates of the fuel fed from the fuel cartridge 50 to the powergeneration units 40, a regulator 55 for compensating for variations incurrent and voltage taken out from the power generation units 40, andthe like are mounted on the upper surface of the base substrate 51.

In addition, cooling fins 56 for radiating the heat of the powergeneration units 40 to cool the power generation units 40 are mounted onthe upper surface of the power generation units 40. A plurality of largescale semiconductor integrated circuits (LSIs) and other controlcomponent parts for constituting the control unit 41, a temperaturesensor 57, and a humidity sensor 58 are mounted on the cooling fins 56.

Besides, as a power generation cell constituting the power generationunit 40, there can be applied, for example, one that is configured asshown in FIG. 3. The power generation cell 59 shown in FIG. 3 iscomposed of a polymer electrolyte membrane electrode joint body 60provided with catalyst layers on both sides thereof, an air-sideseparator 61 disposed on one side of the polymer electrolyte membraneelectrode joint body 60, a fuel-side separator 62 disposed on the otherside of the polymer electrolyte membrane electrode joint body 60, anair-side electrode 63 interposed between the air-side separator 61 andthe polymer electrolyte membrane electrode joint body 60, and afuel-side electrode 64 interposed between the fuel-side separator 62 andthe polymer electrolyte membrane electrode joint body 60.

In the power generation cell 59 configured in this manner, powergeneration is performed, for example, as follows. First, hydrogen gas asa fuel is supplied to the fuel-side separator 62, while air as anoxidizing agent is supplied from the atmosphere to the air-sideseparator 61. As a result, the hydrogen gas (H2) makes contact with thefuel-side catalyst of the polymer electrolyte membrane electrode jointbody 60, upon which electrons (e−) fly out and protons (H+) aregenerated (H2→2H++2 e−).

The protons (H+) pass through the polymer electrolyte membrane electrodejoint body 60 toward the opposite side, namely, the side of the air-sideelectrode 63. On the side of the air-side electrode 63, oxygen (O2) inthe air fed there reacts with the protons (H+) and the electrons (e−)having returned there after finishing the work, under the activity ofthe air-side catalyst on the polymer electrolyte membrane electrodejoint body 60, to produce water (O2+4H++4 e→2H2O).

The electrons (e−) generated upon this chemical reaction are collectedat electrodes 63, 64, whereby electricity can be produced in the powergeneration cell 59. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, such powergeneration units 40 are provided respectively in the vicinity of thejoint portions needing electric power, and electric power is producedaccording to the need on the basis of each joint portion. Therefore, theoutput of each power generation cell can be restrained to a lower level,as compared with the related-art system in which electricity is producedin one power generation unit and the electric power is supplied to alljoint portions, and, therefore, power generation efficiency can beenhanced.

Moreover, since the output of each power generation cell is small, it ispossible to facilitate heat management and water management at eachpower generation cell, and the system configuration can be simplified.Further, where a part of the component elements of the fuel cell system22 and a part of the component elements of the dog type robot 21, forexample, the control unit is used in common, it is possible to removethe wastefulness of the component elements in the fuel cell mountapparatus 20 as a whole, and to contrive simplification of theconfiguration.

Incidentally, of the component elements of the fuel cell system 22, theone that can be used in common as a component element of the dog typerobot 21 is not limited to the above-mentioned control unit but may beany one, for example, the cooling fan 52, the drying fan or othercomponent element that is used in common for both the fuel cell system22 and the animal robot or the like.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment.While an example applied to the dog type robot functioning as anelectronic apparatus has been described in the above embodiment, thepresent invention is applicable not only to other shapes or types ofrobots which are electronic apparatuses capable of moving by themselvesbut also electronic apparatuses which are incapable of moving bythemselves, for example, notebook type personal computers, cellularphones and other electronic apparatuses. In addition, the configurationof the power generation cell is also not limited to that in theabove-described embodiment. Thus, the present invention can be modifiedin a variety of ways within the scope of the gist of the invention.

Second Embodiment

Now, referring to FIG. 4, another embodiment of the fuel cell mountapparatus according to the present invention will be described below.Incidentally, the structures of the fuel cell mount apparatus 90 and thepower generation unit 80 constituting the fuel cell mount apparatusaccording to this embodiment are substantially the same as the fuel cellmount apparatus 20 and the power generation unit 40 described in thefirst embodiment, and, therefore, detailed description thereof will beomitted. In addition, the power generation unit in the fuel cell system92 mounted on the fuel cell mount apparatus 90 according to thisembodiment is not limited to the power generation unit having a stackstructure obtained by laminating a plurality of MEAs. For example, theindividual power generation devices constituting a stack structure maybe laid out dispersely, and a set of the power generation devicesconstituted of a plurality of power generation devices may be used as apower generation unit. The fuel cell mount apparatus 90 according tothis embodiment is composed of a dog type robot 91 functioning primarilyas an electronic apparatus, a fuel cell system 92 composed of aplurality of power generation units 80 a to 80 j laid out in the insideof the dog type robot, and a secondary cell 100 for supplying electricpower to a fuel cell control unit 81 for controlling the operation ofthe fuel cell system 92. Incidentally, in this embodiment, a fuel cellcontrol unit 81 in the fuel cell system 92 and a control unit in the dogtype robot 91 are used as a common part used in common for both the fuelcell system 92 and the dog type robot 91. Incidentally, the common partused in common for both the fuel cell system 92 and the dog type robot91 may be any one that can be used in common, for example, an auxiliaryapparatus or the like such as a cooling fan, a pump and a cooler forcooling the control unit and other heat generating sources, an auxiliaryapparatus such as a heater and an electric heater used for heating afuel supply means for supplying a fuel to the power generation units 40,an air supply means for supplying air to the power generation units, orthe like, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a radiator, a DC/DCconverter, etc. In addition, a structural member of the fuel cell mountapparatus such as a casing for containing the electronic apparatus andthe fuel cell therein may be used as the common part, and, where a wallsurface portion of the casing is utilized to clamp the power generationunits of the fuel cell, the wall surface portion may be adopted as thecommon part. Further, a fastening member for the power generation unitshaving a stack structure may naturally be adopted as the common part.

The dog type robot 91 is configured in substantially the same manner asthe dog type robot 21 described in the first embodiment above, and iscomposed principally of movable portions such as a body portion 93, ahead portion 94, a neck portion 98, a chin portion 99, ear portions 70,two fore-leg portions 95, two hind-leg portion 96, and a tail portion97, and a plurality of joint portions for freely moving the movableportions.

The plurality of joint portions are drive portions for moving themovable portions, and are each driven, for example, by a drive motor.Incidentally, the joint portion includes the drive motor for moving thejoint portion. The joint portion is rotated or is lowered and raised bya drive force generated in the drive motor, is capable of freelyrotating or lowering and raising the movable portion connected to thejoint. For example, the pair of fore-leg portions 25 can be turnedfreely and be lowered and raised freely by the pair of fore-leg joints.In addition, a required number of drive motors can be provided at eachjoint portion.

The power generation units 80 a to 80 j are laid out respectively in thevicinity of the joints of the dog type robot 91, and the powergeneration units 80 a to 80 j supply electric power to the drive motorslocated respectively in the vicinity of the power generation units. Forexample, the power generation unit 80 h disposed in the vicinity of afore-knee joint 74 supplies electric power to the drive motor possessedby the fore-knee joint 74. Like the power generation unit 80 h providedin the vicinity of the fore-knee joint 74, the power generation unitsdisposed in the vicinity of the joints supply electric power to thedrive motors possessed by the relevant joints, respectively. Thus, thepower generation units 80 a to 80 j constituting the fuel cells aredispersely laid out in the dog type robot 91 functioning as anelectronic apparatus, and each power generation unit 80 supplieselectric power to the drive motor possessed by the relevant joint,whereby the burden as to the output of each of the power generationunits 80 a to 80 j can be alleviated. It is to be noted that, in the dogtype robot 91, although the power generation units 80 are disposed inthe vicinity of the respective joints, the number of the powergeneration units 80 need not necessarily be the same as that of thejoints.

Incidentally, it suffices that the plurality of power generation unitsare in charge of power supply to the plurality of drive motors; forexample, one power generation unit of the plurality of power generationunits may supply electric power to a plurality of drive motors. Further,the structure in which the power generation units are incorporated inthe electronic apparatus is not limitative, and a power generation unitmay be externally mounted for compensating for a deficiency in theelectric power supplied to the drive units.

According to the fuel cell mount apparatus 90 composed of the dog typerobot 91 and the fuel cell system 92 composed of the plurality of powergeneration units 80 a to 80 j, the output necessary per one powergeneration unit can be reduced, as compared with the case where all thedrive motors possessed by a dog type robot used as an electronicapparatus are supplied with electric power from one power generationunit. By reducing the output of each of the power generation units 80 ato 80 j, it is possible to reduce the amount of heat and the amount ofwater generated upon the power generating reaction in each powergeneration unit. Therefore, the management of heat and water generatedupon the power generating reaction is facilitated, so that it ispossible to cause the power generation units to generate electric powerin an optimum environment while controlling the temperatures of thepower generation units and the amounts of water contained in the powergeneration cells in the power generation units, and to cause the dogtype robot 91 as an electronic apparatus to operate stably.

Furthermore, since the dog type robot 91 has the power generation units80 a to 80 j disposed dispersely therein, it is possible to individuallyreplace each of the power generation units, and to perform maintenanceof the dog type robot 91 easily by only replacing the power generationunit in which a trouble has occurred. In addition, in the case where allthe drive motors are supplied with electric power from one powergeneration unit, a trouble in the power generation unit may lead totroubles in the driving of all the drive motors. On the other hand,according to the plurality of power generation units 80 a to 80 jdisposed dispersely in the inside of the dog type robot 91, even if oneof the power generation units is troubled, a trouble would be generatedonly in the drive motor supplied with electric power from the troubledpower generation unit, and the other drive motors are driven without anytrouble. Furthermore, when a specific power generation unit is troubled,it is possible to replace only the troubled power generation unit, andmaintenance of the dog type robot 91 can be carried out easily. Inaddition, maintenance can be performed by replacing the movable partincorporating the troubled power generation unit, of the movable partsof the dog type robot.

An electronic apparatus control unit composed of a microcomputer,storage devices (RAM, ROM) and the like for controlling the driving ofall the drive motors, various sensors, a voice recognition device andother mechanisms is incorporated in the body portion 93. The electronicapparatus control unit is a control unit which is incorporated in thedog type robot, like the above-mentioned drive motors, and is driven soas to perform processing of data and commands, thereby controlling themotions of the dog type robot functioning as an electronic apparatus.Incidentally, the fuel cell mount apparatus 90 according to thisembodiment uses in common the control unit 81 for controlling theoperation of the fuel cell system 92 and the electronic apparatuscontrol unit, and, therefore, the electronic apparatus control unit isnot shown in the figure. In addition, where the fuel cell control unitand the electronic apparatus control unit are not used in common, thefuel cell control unit can be driven by electric power supplied from thefuel cells.

The control unit 81 used in common together with the electronicapparatus control unit is a control unit for the dog type robot and,simultaneously, is a drive unit which is driven by electric power in thesame manner as the drive motors contained in the joint portionsdescribed above. The control unit 81 is driven by being supplied withelectric power from a secondary cell 100 such as a lithium ion secondarycell provided in the vicinity of the control unit 81. In other words,the drive units possessed by the electronic apparatus such as the dogtype robot 91 in this embodiment are classified into drive units such asjoint portions moved by the drive motors and drive units such as theelectronic apparatus control unit used in common together with thecontrol unit 81. Comparing the load variation in the drive motors withthe load variation in the control unit 81, generally, the load variationin the control unit 81 including the microcomputer tends to be largerthan the load variations in the drive motors. Specifically, in the driveunit such as the drive motor, there is little load variation after theelectric power necessary for starting the driving is supplied. In otherwords, in a diagram in which the time of driving of the drive motor istaken on the axis of abscissas and the magnitude of load is taken on theaxis of ordinates, the magnitude of load varies in a roughly rectangularshape with reference to the time axis.

On the other hand, the magnitude of the load on the control unit 81tends to vary in a pulse form with reference to the drive time.Specifically, the load on the control unit 81 not only is large invariation width but also rises steeply and falls steeply with referenceto the time axis. The pulse-like load variation causes the electricpower necessary for driving the control unit 81 to vary largely. In manycases, it is difficult for the power generation unit 80 constituting thefuel cell to supply the required electric power following up to therapid load variation, so that the control unit 81 may not be drivenstably and it may be impossible to stably drive the electronicapparatus. In addition, also where the electronic apparatus control unitis provided separately from the control unit 81, it is difficult tostably drive the electronic apparatus control unit.

In view of this, the fuel cell mount apparatus 90 has a configuration inwhich not only the plurality of power generation units are in charge ofelectric power supply but also the power sources for supplying electricpower are differently used according to the load variations in the driveunits. Particularly, the drive units such as the drive motors aresupplied with electric power from the power generation units 80, whilethe control unit 81 tending to suffer a large load variation is suppliedwith electric power from the secondary cell 100 which can supplyelectric power following up to rapid load variations. The secondary cell100 is an electric power supply means which can accumulate electricalenergy by being charged repeatedly; the secondary cell 100 accumulatesthe electrical energy supplied from the power generation units 80 d, 80e, and supplies the electrical energy as electric power to the controlunit 81. By thus differently using the power sources for supplyingelectric power according to the variations in load, it is possible tostably drive the fuel cell mount apparatus 90 as a whole. Incidentally,the electric power supply means is not limited to the secondary cell 100but may be a capacitor. Further, the electric power supply means may bea micro-turbine, a cell such as a primary cell and a solar cell, or acombination thereof with a secondary cell. In addition, the burden insupplying electric power may be shared by one power generation unit anda plurality of electric power supply means.

Besides, the electronic apparatus constituting the fuel cell mountapparatus 90 is not limited to the above-described dog type robot 91 butmay be any fuel cell mount apparatus in which a fuel cell is used as apower source for, for example, a general-purpose robot apparatus, otherrobot apparatus and an articulated robot, a notebook type personalcomputer, a cellular phone, a camera integrated VTR (Video TapeRecorder), or a personal digital assistant (PDA). For example, in thecase of such an electronic apparatus as a notebook type personalcomputer, it suffices that an electronic apparatus control unitincluding a CPU is supplied with electric power from an electric powersupply means such as a secondary cell and a capacitor, whereas a drivedevice for driving the medium for writing and reading data is suppliedwith electric power from a power generation unit of a fuel cell.Besides, the fuel cell mount apparatus according to the presentinvention may naturally be modified, as required, within the scope ofthe gist of the invention.

Third Embodiment

Now, referring to FIG. 5, an electric power supply system according tothe present invention will be described below. FIG. 5 is a block diagramof the electric power supply system 110 according to this embodiment.The electric power supply system 110 includes a fuel cell 111 forsupplying electric power to a plurality of drive units 113, and asecondary cell 112 for supplying electric power to a drive unit 113 csuffering a larger load variation then those on the drive units 113 a,113 b supplied with electric power from the fuel cell 111. For example,in supplying electric power to various electric appliances for home use,the electric appliance suffering a larger load variation than those onthe electric appliances supplied with electric power from the fuel cell111 is supplied with electric power from the secondary cell 112. Forexample, electric appliances needing a high voltage at the time ofturning ON, such as illumination appliances, are supplied with electricpower from the secondary cell 112, and other electric appliancessuffering small load variations are supplied with electric power fromthe fuel cell 111. Namely, the drive units 113 correspond toillumination appliances, and the other electric appliances correspond tothe drive units 113 a, 113 b. In addition, since the secondary cell 112can be charged from the fuel cell 111 when the various electricappliances are not being driven, the secondary cell 112 functions as anelectric power supply means for accumulating electrical energy andthereafter supplying electric power to the drive units required.According to such an electric power supply system 110, the fuel cell andthe electric power supply means are differently used for supplyingelectric power, whereby it is possible to stably supply electric powerto a system composed of various drive units differing in load variation.

Besides, the electric power supply system 110 according to thisembodiment is not limited to the case of supplying electric power tovarious electric appliances for home use, and is applicable to the casesof supplying electric power to a system having drive units differing inload variation. For example, in a transport apparatus such as anelectric car with a fuel cell mounted thereon, various apparatusessuffering large load variations than that of a drive motor for movingthe transport apparatus are supplied with electric power from anelectric power supply means such as a secondary cell, whereby it ispossible to stably operate the transport apparatus as a whole. Inaddition, the electric power supply means is not limited to thesecondary cell but may be a capacitor. Besides, the electric powersupply means may be a micro-turbine, a cell such as a primary cell and asolar cell, or a combination thereof with a secondary cell.

According to the fuel cell mount apparatus of the present invention, thefuel cell mount apparatus including a fuel cell and an electronicapparatus is so configured that a component element constituting a partof the fuel cell is used in common together with a component element ofthe electronic apparatus on which the fuel cell is mounted, so that itis possible to remove the wastefulness of the component parts used, andto contrive a simplification in structure, a reduction in size, areduction in weight, and the like, of the apparatus as a whole. In sucha fuel cell mount apparatus, an auxiliary apparatus such as a fan and apump, or a microcomputer in a control unit or the like can be applied asthe component part used in common between the fuel cell and theelectronic apparatus, whereby it is possible to contrive a reduction inthe number of this kind of component parts.

In addition, the electronic apparatus included in the fuel cell mountapparatus has a plurality of drive units, and, further, the fuel cellhas a plurality of power generation units, and the plurality of powergeneration units can be in charge of power supply to the plurality ofdrive units. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the output of eachpower generation unit, to reduce the power generation burden on eachpower generation unit, and to facilitate heat management and watermanagement. Furthermore, such a fuel cell mount apparatus may furtherinclude an electric power supply means for accumulating electricalenergy, and the electric power supply means may supply electric power toa predetermined one or ones of the plurality of drive units, wherebyelectric power can be stably supplied to the drive units differing inload variation. In addition, according to the fuel cell mount apparatusof the present invention, it is possible to reduce the output of eachpower generation unit, to alleviate the power generation burden on eachpower generation unit, and to further facilitate heat management andwater management. Furthermore, the plurality of power generation unitscan be in charge of power supply to the plurality of drive units,whereby the burden on the power generation units can be alleviated.

Besides, according to the fuel cell mount apparatus in another mode ofthe present invention, the burden in supplying electric power to driveunits is shared by a plurality of power generation units, whereby it ispossible to reduce the output of each power generation unit, and toalleviate the power generation burden on each power generation unit. Bythus reducing the burden on each power generation unit, it is possibleto easily control or manage the temperature and water in each powergeneration unit, and to stably generate electric power. Further,according to such a fuel cell mount apparatus, it is possible to stablysupply electric power to drive units differing in load variation.

Further, according to the fuel cell mount apparatus in a further mode ofthe present invention, even in the case where the output of a powergeneration unit in a fuel cell does not follow up to a load variation ina drive unit, the drive unit can be supplied with electric power from anelectric power supply means, whereby the electronic apparatus can bedriven stably.

Furthermore, according to the electric power supply system in yetanother mode of the present invention, a drive unit suffering a largerload variation than those at other drive units is supplied with electricpower from an electric power supply means capable of following up to therelevant load variation, whereby it is possible to cope with the loadvariation which is difficult to follow up by power supply from a fuelcell, and to supply electric power in a stable manner.

It should be understood that various changes and modifications to thepresently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent tothose skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention andwithout diminishing its intended advantages. It is therefore intendedthat such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.

1. A fuel cell mount apparatus comprising: a fuel cell capable of powergeneration by use of a fuel and air, said fuel cell having a pluralityof power generation sections; an electronic apparatus having said fuelcell mounted thereon and being operated by electric power outputted fromsaid fuel cell, said electronic apparatus having a plurality of drivesections that require electric power; a common part used in common forsaid fuel cell and said electronic apparatus; and an electric powersupply means for supplying electric power to a predetermined drivesection of said plurality of drive sections, wherein said electric powersupply means supplies electric power to said predetermined drivesection, and each of the plurality of power generation sections generateand individually supply electric power to respective drive sections ofsaid plurality of drive sections but not to the predetermined drivesection, and wherein said predetermined drive section has a larger loadvariation than the drive sections supplied with electric power by theplurality of generation sections.
 2. A fuel cell mount apparatus as setforth in claim 1, wherein said common part is a component element ofsaid fuel cell and a component element of said electronic apparatus. 3.A fuel cell mount apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein saidelectric power supply means is selected from the group consisting of aprimary cell, a secondary cell, a capacitor, a micro-turbine, or acombination thereof.
 4. A fuel cell mount apparatus as set forth inclaim 1, wherein said power generation sections are identical in numberto said plurality of drive sections, said power generation sections aredisposed respectively in proximity of said drive sections, and saiddrive sections are supplied with electric power respectively fromcorresponding power generation sections.
 5. The fuel cell mountapparatus of claim 1, wherein the drive sections include respectivejoint portions and drive motors, and wherein the drive motors areindividually mounted respectively to each of the joint portions suchthat the joint members are capable of being turned, lowered or raised.6. The fuel cell mount apparatus of claim 5, wherein the electronicapparatus is a dog robot.
 7. The fuel cell mount apparatus of claim 1,wherein the plurality of power generation sections are dispersedthroughout the electronic apparatus.
 8. The fuel cell mount apparatus ofclaim 7, wherein each of the plurality of power generation sectionsincludes a plurality of power generation devices, the power generationdevices having a stack structure.
 9. The fuel cell mount apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the common part is the same as the predetermined drivesection that is supplied power from the electric power supply means. 10.The fuel cell mount apparatus of claim 1, wherein the common part andthe predetermined drive section are both a control unit commonly used bythe fuel cell and the electronic apparatus, wherein the electric powersupply means supplies power to the control unit.
 11. The fuel cell mountapparatus of claim 1, wherein said common part is selected from thegroup consisting of a fan, a pump or a cooler used for one or more ofthe power generation sections or a control section of said fuel cell, anauxiliary apparatus including a heater and an electric heater used forheating a fuel supply means for supplying said fuel to one or more ofthe power generation sections of said fuel cell, an air supply means forsupplying air to one or more of the power generation sections, atemperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a radiator, a structural member,a fastening member, and said control section.
 12. A fuel cell mountapparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality ofpower generation sections are electrically connected to respective drivesections of said plurality of drive sections.